Kabocha Pumpkin Soup Food

KABOCHA PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Place kabocha squash cut-side down into a microwave-safe baking dish. Pour 1/2 inch water around the squash. Microwave on high until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
• Scoop kabocha squash flesh into the blender. Add pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Blend until smooth.
• Pour blended mixture into a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

HOBAKJUK (PUMPKIN PORRIDGE)

Steps:

• Cut the squash into halves (or quarters). Remove the seeds. Place them in a large pot, the cut side up. Add water about one-third way up the squash, about 6 cups. Cover and boil over medium high heat until the squash turns fork tender, about 25 - 30 minutes. Discard the water and let the squash cool. See the notes for other cooking methods.
• When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh (or peel the skin off).
• You can purée the cooked squash at this point if you want, using a blender (make sure to use some of the 3 cups of water required below). Or use an immersion blender or simply mash it with a spoon or potato masher while cooking if you like a little bit of squash lumps in my porridge.
• In a blender, grind the soaked glutinous rice with 1 cup of water as finely as possible.
• Pour the ground sweet rice into the pot of the prepared squash. Add 3 cups of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing the chunks of squash, until the rice starts to turn translucent and the porridge becomes thick. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. (Adjust the consistency of the porridge to your taste by adding more water.) Stir in the salt, sugar, and the optional cooked red beans. Cook for an additional 3 - 4 minutes.

KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 F. Toss squash, carrots, onion and garlic with salt & pepper and olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing twice.
• Remove vegetables from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Blend vegetables with broth, then blend in cream, sage, thyme and apple cider vinegar.
• Serve soup in large bowls garnished with pumpkin seeds and scallions. Serve with baguette if desired and enjoy!

JAPANESE PUMPKIN SOUP (KABOCHA SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin into large blocks and remove seeds.
• Place pumpkin on a plate and heat in microwave for one minute.
• Slice pumpkin thinly.
• Heat butter in saute pan and cook onion slices until softened (not brown).
• Add pumpkin slices to the pan and saute.
• Add chicken bouillon and water and simmer vegetables until softened.
• When cooked, whirl the vegetables and broth in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• Return to the pan and add milk.
• Heat the soup over low heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

MISO SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Using a heavy, sharp knife, cut the squash in half top to bottom. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. (If desired, save the seeds for roasting.) Brush cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place squash cut side up on the baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.
• When the squash is nearly done roasting, heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened but not taken on any color, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring more frequently, until the onion is uniformly golden brown, another 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cumin, cinnamon and cayenne. Stir in lemon juice, scraping up any stuck bits from the pan, and remove from heat.
• When the squash is tender, scoop the flesh out of the shell and into the saucepan, breaking it up. Stir in 2 cups stock and 3 tablespoons miso. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You may have to do this in shifts depending on the capacity of your machine. Return to the pot, add remaining 3 cups stock and bring to a simmer over medium, stirring often. Taste and add salt and more cayenne if desired.
• Transfer 2 tablespoons soup to a small saucepan and whisk in remaining tablespoon miso over low heat.
• Divide the soup among bowls or cups and drizzle a small amount of the miso-soup mixture on each serving, tracing it on the surface with a knife. To make ahead, cover and refrigerate soup until ready to serve, up to 3 days. (It can be frozen for up to 1 month.) Reheat soup before serving.

KABOCHA (CREAMY JAPANESE SQUASH SOUP)

Steps:

• Wash the exterior of the kabocha squash. Cut in half and remove seeds and inner strands of the squash.
• Place kabocha on a microwave-safe plate and heat in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave. This helps to soften the kabocha just a bit.
• Cut the kabocha into thin slices and remove exterior skin. Set slices aside.
• In a medium pot, melt butter and sauté onion slices until translucent and softened.
• Add kabocha and sauté together with onions until the kabocha is cooked.
• Pour water and add chicken bouillon powder in the pot. (Note: Chicken broth may be substituted for the bouillon and water.) Simmer on low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until kabocha is softened.
• Either use an immersion hand blender to blend the vegetables with the broth, or allow the mixture to cool slightly and then pour it into a traditional blender to puree, then add it back to the pot.
• On medium-high heat, add milk to the kabocha mixture and bring to a boil, constantly stirring the soup. Turn off the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately. Garnish with additional freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley.

ROASTED KABOCHA (JAPANESE PUMPKIN) SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F / 175°C.
• Cut kabocha in half, scoop out seeds and membranes, and set aside.
• Prick the kabocha flesh with a fork, brush with olive oil and place face down on a baking dish. Bake for about 40 mins at 350F/175°C or until tender.
• While the kabocha is roasting, clean and dry the seeds (as best you can) and toast them in a dry pan on med-high heat for about 5 minutes or until nicely golden brown and set aside. Alternately, you can bake them in the oven for about 10-20 minutes at 400F / 200°C.
• In a large pot, saute sliced onion in butter until soft.
• When the kabocha is soft, carefully (it's hot!) scoop the flesh in chunks out of the skin and add to the pot with onions. Alternately, you can wait for it too cool or roast it already peeled.
• Add the bouillon powder, water and cinnamon, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Cover the pot to keep it from splattering.
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl. In batches, puree the mixture in a blender (only fill about 3/4 or less full), and add it back to the pan. If you have an immersion blender, even better, and you can just puree it all in the pan.
• Stir in the milk and heat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Mix in salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls and top with toasted seeds.